It happened barely 50 seconds into a six-minute interview. A fleeting peek at the whirring machinery inside the head of Enda Kenny. A glimpse of how Official Ireland's cover story is put together – and sometimes comes apart.

It was Budget Day and the Taoiseach had to come out of hiding. It has been Mr Kenny's practice to avoid hard interviews, to run away – particularly at election time – from any sustained explanation of his politics. However, much of the country is hurting, speaking out in anger or pain. It would look odd if the Taoiseach failed to at least appear to defend his Government's ruthless strategy.

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